Gary Johnson: Torquay United boss wants to stay even in Gulls are relegated
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Gary Johnson has been Torquay manager since September 2018
Torquay United manager Gary Johnson wants to stay on in the role next season, even if the club are relegated.
The Gulls must beat champions Wrexham at Plainmoor and hope Maidenhead United lose at Gateshead with a seven-goal swing between the sides if the Devon club are to remain in the fifth tier.
Johnson led the Gulls to the National League South title in 2019.
"My CV looks alright in National League South and I would do," he said when asked if he would like to stay on.
"But there's lots of things to talk about because of [the] finances of dropping down, not necessarily for me, but the playing staff.
"It was great for the players to hear that the owner had said that we were staying full-time as we've got lads that want to be full-time footballers. It gives you an advantage if you did go to the Conference South," he added to BBC Radio Devon.
Having guided Torquay to a second-placed finish in 2020-21 season Johnson saw his side lose the National League play-off final on penalties to Hartlepool United, and with many of that squad then leaving the Gulls, the club finished the 2021-22 season in mid-table.
Johnson's side had rallied in recent weeks, winning five successive games before a 5-1 loss at Chesterfield and a 2-2 draw at Altrincham last week all but ended their survival hopes.
Johnson feels that had he had key players such as captain Asa Hall, midfielder Tom Lapslie and striker Aaron Jarvis for longer periods - all three suffered from injuries during the season - it could have been a different story for Torquay.
"We've used too many players this year because of injuries - we've had to get people in at the last minute," he said.
"Like always, you get 10 loans over a season, six will do well and four won't because you're doing it at the last minute.
"But you see now that the five loans that we have are regulars in our team and that's going to be important.
"Whatever happens to me I know the club has done it for the best interests of the club.
"That's why nobody's panicking, nobody's saying, 'What are we doing?' We get over this game and then we do it all sensibly."